Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1887-09-30
ROGER LAROQUE,
Adapted and Translated from tho French
Of Jules Mary.
BY OLIVE HARPER.



~"
Copyrighted by the American Press Assocatlon1
my mission is a painful one, madame
You must know its motive, still, | shall not
recommenco the terrible interrogatory that
you have borne already from NJ Lacroix and
of which he has furnished me the notes"
"You could, then, have spared me this, as
can do nothing but repeat that word for
word"
"No, madame; for your sake for your hlis.
bands sake, l hope that your answers will be
moro precise, for your refusal to explain
yourself regarding the murder of Larouette
is the condemnation of Laroquc. Tell me
that you did not recognize your husband az
the assassin and give me the real murderer's
description, but do not maintain that you
were not witness of the crime"
N"It is true, however," said the unhappy
woman in hcr heroic obstinacy.
Victoria was brought il and made to re-
peat all she knew. Poor Henrietta tried to
wear Il iool; of surprise, but her face betrayed
her.
"This gi.i, said Sic, "ha, a too lively i'm.
ogination, ana il is troubled 10y reading too
many novels. Her story is Il tissue of ex.
travagant inventions. Neither my daughter
nor myself said the words she tells YOU. If
we had called Roger from the balcony he
would have answered us, seeing himself
discovered, and would rot have gone into our
neighbours house. All that, therefore, /, un.
reasonable"
"All that Is laIhappily true, madame said
Victoria
'What haze loao 20 you, my poor girl,
that you cause mo so much sorrowl And
rl,rAl l,,,-l
such an accusation upon him:'
u have nothing to reproach either Of you
WITH and if could have KEEP. what | knew
TO myself l should havo done So"
"You see, madame" said the juose, "the
deposition Of this girl is clear and exact, and
does not vary. You were an involuntary
witness of that crime. What did you see?'
II saw nothing and heard nothing
@Your silence is the condemnation OF your
husband"
"My husbands whole life pleads for aim
and proves his probity.'
Henriette was led ont and Suzanne took
her place in the witness chair Both mother
and child were III deep mourning An III
tense inward fever burned in the chiids
veins and showed in her cheeks and her great
blue eyes, which fairly blazed with light
She looked at the judge with terrified air,
and be took her by the hand gently and
kissed the pure white forehead.
"And you, my little one, will you be more
reasonable to-day than you were yesterdayi
Has some one told you that you would cause
your father great trouble If you told what
you saw your birthday night when you were
on the balcony with your mother"
81 saw nothing. sir. | don't know any
thing and wish they would let me alone
am sick, and | did not want to come.
don't know what they want mo to do, nor
why my mother cries all the time, and l
can't tell you what didn't see. Ny mother
says it is wrong to tell lies"
She began to SILVER, and her little white
teeth chartered together in q severe chill, and
from red her cheeks turned blue.
II see" said the judge, that you will say
nothing. You are very courageous, and
will neither persuade nor threaten you nor
try to show you that the worst thing that
could happen to your father is for you TO re-
main silent. No. my child; another than 1
shall undertake that charge"
At sign from the judge Henriette was
brought back. One glance showed these two
that they had kept their compact
Bring Laroque in" said the judge in a
whisper, and an officer went for him and
brought him, The court room was badly
lighted and Roger stopped on the threshold,
at first seeing nothing Then his eyes fell
upon his wife and child and h, clasped his
hands, and his face frightened as he gave
low cry of JOY and spyans toward them with
open arms.
"Susanne! Henriette, Ny daughter. Ny
beloved wife,
But Susanna and Henriette, surprised by
his sudden appearance, drew back with
horror so visible that the judge shuldered,
Instinct was stronger than will, and they saw
in Laroque not the adored husband and
father, but tho asSassin-the man with burn
ing eyes, with bushy beard, with great
powerful shoulders and hands, whom they
had seen strangle that poor old man. And
Roger understood this terror and was troubled
by it.
"What," he stammered, "you fly from me'
In what have changed! Is it because an in
sansate accusation hangs over me, as ridicu-
lous as it is unmerited. that l am neither
your father, Susanna, nor your husband,
HenrietteY'